An athletic shoe sole construction having a suspension system designed to resiliently support a foot and deflect downwardly upon foot imposed forces is provided. The athletic shoe includes a plurality of independent supports arrayed about the periphery of the suspension system. The supports, or pillars, may include a ground engaging section and a resilient section intermediate the ground engaging section and the suspension system. The suspension system may include a deflectable grid system, or it may include other resilient deflectable materials. The pillars may be constructed and arranged to deflect independently of an adjacent pillar.